Cast of Characters


An asterisk * before a name indicates a fictitious character. A cross + before a name indicates the character is dead before the novel begins. Dates of birth and death, when given, apply to the historical person, not the character in the novel, so any dates after October 14, 1066 do not reflect the action of the book.

A

+Bishop Adalberon (?-989): Bishop of Reims
*Adric: Sexton at Saint Wulfram's
*Aelfgyfu: Edith's lady
+Aelfric (c.955-c.1010) Abbot of Eynsham
*Ealdorman Aelfwulf: Ealdorman from London
+King Aethelred II Unraed (c.966-1016): King of England, 978-1013 & 1014-1016
Aethelric (fl.1050) Kinsman of Harold, onetime nominee for Archibishop of Canterbury
*Earl Aethelwine: Harold's Friend
*Airik the Mercer: Londoner
Abu 'Amr 'Abbad II al-Mu'tadid (fl.1042-1069): Emir of Ishbiliya
+Saint Alban (III or IV century): First English martyr
+Alcuin Albinus (c.735-804): Scholar
Pope Alexander II (c.1010-1073): Formerly Anselm of Baggio
+Algar (?-1060): Morkere's father
*Arne: Priest to Lady Gytha
*Arnegifu: Earl Arnketil's daughter
Earl Arnketil (fl.1066): Northern earl
+Saint Augustine of Canterbury (?-604): First archbishop of Canterbury
+Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430): Bishop of Hippo, theologian

B

Balder: Ancient god
Count Baldwin V of Flanders (c.1012-1067): William of Normandy's father-in-law
+Saint Bede (c.673-735): Historian
+Pope Benedict X (c.1000-c.1070): Antipope 1058-1059
*Brother Beornred: Escorted Lanfranc to Canterbury
*Bernardo: Major domo at Canossa Castle

C

+Charlemagne (748-814): King of France, first Holy Roman Emperor
+King Childeric I (c.437-481): Frankish king
+King Cnut (?-1035): Danish king of England
*Coelnoth: Earl Arnketil's son
*Colum-cille: Scottish monk
+Saint Columba (521-597): Irish missionary who first brought Christianity to England
+Saint Columbanus (540-615): Irish missionary who established many monasteries
Constantine Ducas (1006-1067), Byzantine Emperor
+Cunegund: King Llyr's son
+Saint Cuthbert (c.634-687): Anglo-Saxon holy man at Lindisfarne

D

Domenico Contarini (?-1071): Venetian doge
+King Duncan (c.1001-1040): King of the Scots, killed by MacBeth
+Saint Dunstan (909-988): Former archbishop of Canterbury

E

Eadmer of Sens (c.1060-c.1126): Monk, author of Historia novorum in Anglia
*Eadwine: palace page Winchester
Queen Ealdgyth (c.1025-1075): Harold's sister; widow of King Edward
Ealdgytha Svannehals: Harold's mistress
Archbishop Ealdred (?-1069): Archbishop of York
*Earmcearig: Northern nobleman, lost father & brother at Stamford Bridge
Edgar Aetheling (c.1051-c.1126) Hungarian-born; son of Aethelred II
Queen Edith: Harold's wife, Morkere's sister
+Saint Edmund the Martyr (?-855): King of East Anglia, killed by Vikings
Edmund Haroldsson (fl.1068): King Harold's son
+King Edward (c.1003-1066): English King whose death sparked William's invasion
*Edwig: Soldier
+Edwin (?-1071): Morkere's brother and predecessor
*Edwy: Harold's advocate
*Father Egmund: Priest at Saint Wulfram's
*Eric Ivar's son: Soldier and standard bearer
+Saint Erkenwald of Bath (?-693): Bishop of London
*Esnecund: Ceorl working for Arnketil
Empress Eudocia (c.1021-1096): Byzantine empress
*Eustace of Dover: Continental merchants living in Dover

F

*Brother Faege: Monk at Canterbury
+King Ferdinand (c.1015-1065): King of Leon and Count of Castile
*Ealdorman Forspild: Londoner
*Friedrich: King Heinrich's arms tutor

G

+Bishop Gerbert (c.946-1033): Later Pope Sylvester II
*Gilles d'Argyre: French minstrel
*Giorgio: Pope Alexander's advisor
*Giovanni: Tuscan, part of Hildebrand/Lanfranc's delegation
Lady Godgyfu (died between 1066 and 1086): Queen Edith's grandmother, a.k.a. Lady Godiva
Godwin Haroldsson (fl.1066): King Harold's son
+Earl Godwin (?-1053): King Harold's father
*Gottcund: Northern nobleman
+Pope Gregory I (c.540-604): Pope who sent Augustine to convert the English
*Gregory of Abbenford: Foot soldier
+Guenes: Knight of Charles the Great
*Guillaume (b.987): Advisor to generations of French kings
*Gunnhildr: Lady at Sarum castle
*Gunnlaug: Harold's fixer
*Guthbeorn: Morkere's servant
+Guthrum: King Llyr's son
Guy of Burgundy (fl.1040): William's cousin, who rebelled in 1047
*+Gwynyfyr: Aethelwine's wife, deceased; Thurlkill's mother
Lady Gytha (c.997-c.1069): King Harold's mother; Godwin's Widow

H

+Harald Hardraada (c.1015-1066): King of Norway, killed at Stamford Bridge
King Harold Godwinsson (c.1022-1066): King of England
*Heardcwide of Elford: Northern nobleman
King Heinrich IV (1050-1106): King of Germany, later Holy Roman emperor
+King Henri I (1008-1060): Father of King Philippe I of France
Archdeacon Hildebrand (c.1015-1085): Papal legate
Antipope Honorius (c.1010-1072): Antipope 1061-1064
+King Hugh Capet (c.939-996): King of the French

I

*Iethe: Morkere's man

J

*Johannes: King Heinrich's advisor

L

*Archdeacon Lambert: Papal legate to Constantinople
Abbot Lanfranc of Pavia (c.1008-1089): companion to Hildebrand
+Lazarus: Raised from the dead by Christ at Bethany
Earl Leofwine (c.1035-1066): Harold's brother
*Ligulf: Londoner
*Limhal: Northern nobleman
*Ealdorman Lithsmann: Londoner
+King Llyr: Ancient king
*Lotario: Pope Alexander's aide
+Lulach (c.1033-1058): MacBeth's foster son

M

+King MacBeth (c.1005-1057: King of the Scots
*Father Maegleas: Priest of St. Wulfram's, Grantham
King Magnus II (c.1048-1069): King of Norway
+Mahomet (c.570-632): Moorish prophet
King Malcolm Canmore (c.1031-1093): King of the Scots
Mammon: Pagan god
*Mathm of Kingsbury: Londoner
Duchess Matilda (c.1031-1083): Duke William's wife
Countess Matilda of Tuscany (1046-1115): Margravine of Tuscany
+King Merovech (c.411-c.458): First king of the Franks
*Modcraeft of Stortford: English lord
Earl Morkere (?-c.1088): earl of Northumbria, brother to Edith

N

*Neadhaes: Arnketil's chamberlain

O

Odo of Bayeux (?-1097): Duke William's half brother
*Olaf of Pennistoke: Northern nobleman
*Omar Yaziji: al-Mu'tadid's interpreter
*Ordgar: Edith's steward
*Osric: Carter at Heorlafestoun
+Saint Oswald (c.604-642): King of Northumbria
+King Oswiu (c.612-670), King of Bernicia, held the Synod of Whitby
Otto of Meissen (fl.1062): Margrave loyal to Henrich IV

P

+Saint Patrick (fl. V century): Brought Christianity to Ireland
King Philippe I (c.1052-1108): King of France
*Pierre: French servant working for Hildebrand
*Poppo of Gaeta: Pope Alexander's advisor

R

*Ranulf: Earl Arnketil's son
+Reagan: King Llyr's son
*Reggio di Calabria: Dockworker
Richard (c.1054-between 1069 & 1075): Duke William's son
*Richard of Rheims: Eustace of Dover's brother
*Brother Rihtdonde: Monk serving as Colum-cille's scribe
+King Robert II (972-1031): King of France
Robert Curthose (1051-1134): Duke William's oldest son
Robert Guiscard (1015-1085): Duke of Sicily
+Robert of Jumieges (?-1052): Archbishop of Canterbury prior to Stigand
Robert of Mortain (c.1031-c.1095): Duke William's half brother
Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar (c.1043-1099): Scout for King Sancho II of Castile
Romanus Diogenes (c.1030-1072) Cappadocian general; married to Empress Eudocia
Duke Rudolf of Swabia (c.1025-1080): Vassal to Heinrich IV

S

King Sancho II of Castile (c.1036-1072): Christian Spaniard king in Castile
King Sancho IV of Navarre (c.1039-1076): Christian Spaniard king in Navarre
King Sancho Ramirez (c.1042-1094): Christian Spaniard king in Aragon
*Santino Giarristi: Wine exporter
*Brother Sibi: Londoner
+Saint Sigebert (c.629-634): King of the East Angles
Sigeweard Bearn (fl.1066): Northern English landownver
Sihtric (fl.1066) Abbot of the monastery at Tavistock
*Father Spiwtha: Priest at Gaddesby
Archbishop Stigand (?-1072): Archbishop of Canterbury, 1058-1070
*Father Streona: Village priest
+King Svegn Forkbeard (960-1014): Invaded England in 1013
*Father Swaefred Priest of St. Andrew's, Heorlafestoun

T

*Theobald: Philippe's senior advisor
*Theophanes of Gelibolu: Byzantine warrior
*Thomas of Barton: Morkere's guard, later a monk of Cluny
*Thurlkill: Thane, Aethelwine's son, Harold's squire
*Thurstan of Gippeswic: Baron
Tiw: Ancient god
+Tostig (c.1026-1066): Harold's brother

U

*Uhtred of Tickhill: Northern nobleman

V

*Vala: Edith's maid
*Vittorio Caltanissetta: winemaker

W

Duke William of Normandy (c.1028-1087): Duke of Normandy, a.k.a. William the Bastard
William Rufus (c.1056-1100): Duke William's son
Bishop William the Norman (?-1075): Bishop of London
Wodin: Ancient god
*Wulfhelm: Earl Arnketil's son
Wulfnoth Godwinsson (c.1040- after 1087): Harold's youngest brother



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